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Rick Guy won't seek GOP primary against John Katko in race for Congress

Republican Nominating Convention at Syracuse - 2014

Syracuse lawyer Rick Guy (center) said today he will not seek a Republican primary in the 24th Congressional District. He is shown at the Republican nominating convention March 1 at the Palace Theater in Syracuse. Guy is seated between his wife, Alycia, and his brother-in-law, Deputy Onondaga County Executive Bill Fisher. David Lassman | dlassman@syracuse.com

WASHINGTON -- Syracuse lawyer Rick Guy has decided he won't seek a Republican primary against former federal prosecutor John Katko in the 24th Congressional District.

Guy, 52, of Syracuse, said today that he made his decision after meeting this week with Katko, who won the GOP designation in the four-county district on March 1.

"I discussed the nomination with John," Guy said in an email to Syracuse.com. "I agreed that he is the best candidate to beat Dan Maffei in November. John shares my concern that there has been a dramatic erosion of individual rights under the Obama Administration and a worsening of a painful economic crisis that has devastated the middle class here in Central New York."

Guy, a former Syracuse Common Council member, had maintained that he was the only one of the eight candidates for the Republican designation who had proven conservative credentials.

But after three weeks of considering a potential primary campaign, Guy said he decided not to move forward with the effort. Candidates must gather 1,250 valid petition signatures by April 10 to make it on the June 24 primary ballot.

Guy said today that he has not decided yet whether to endorse Katko. "I like his plans so far, and I have decided not to primary him," Guy said. "We are discussing the possibility of an endorsement."

Guy's decision leaves only one candidate who has publicly declared an intent to force a primary against Katko. Syracuse businessman Ian Hunter said he began circulating petitions earlier this month.